Apparatus for the recovery of solids from gases



April 1965 B. F. LATHAM, JR., ETAL 3,177,634

APPARATUS FOR THE RECOVERY OF SOLIDS FROM GASES Filed May 21, 1962 FIG 2FIG. 3

INVENTOR BURTON F. LATHAM JR. T. A. RUBLE United States Patent 3,177,634APPARATUS F011 THE REQUVERY 0F Fafililllfi FROM GASES Burton F.'Latharn, In, and Theodore A. Ruble, Houston,

Tex, assignors to Qontinental Carbon Company, Houston, Tern, acorporation of Delaware Filed May 21, 1962, Ser. No. 196,225 2 Claims.(Q1. 55-236) This invention relates to the treatment of gases oraerosols, and more particularly to the recovery of solids which aresuspended therein.

In the past there have been many proposals for removal or recovery ofsolids from various gases, a number of which involve the employment of acyclone, or centrifugal separator. Other proposals include the use ofthe so-called Venturi-scrubber which has been known for some time as aneffective device for treating aerosols in order to facilitate Wetting ofthe suspended particulates thereof. Its principle is to eifectcoalescence of the suspended particulate substances with droplets of ascrubbing liquid to develop particulate combinations which are capableof being readily separated by gravitational methods.

Other prior art developments include the connection of aVentur-i-scrubber with a cyclone, or centrifugal separator; whileanother one was based on the concept of combining a Venturi-scrubber anda cyclone (or centrifugal separator) in a unitary structure. Accordingto this last-mentioned development, the diameter of the Venturi of thescrubber was increased and a cylindrical sleeve was concentricallydisposed in the main tubular housing of the Venturi-scrubber. In thismanner, the same helical motion may primarily be used in the neck of theVenturi-scrubber to cause increased collision between water droplets andthe suspended aerosol particles; and secondarily (in the cyclone, orcentrifugal separator) to separate the water droplets that have. trappedaerosol particles. In this manner, the wetting of the aerosol particlesand the separation of the wetted particles are accomplished in onecompact unit.

One disadvantage of a unit of the immediately aforementioned type isthat a very narrow annular ring at the throat of the Vcnturi-scrubbermust be completely covered with a liquid spray pattern in order toobtain maximum scrubbing action. In such an arrangement the complete andefiicient coverage of the annular throat of the Venturi area by theatomizing sprays can prove dithcult especially in small Venturi-scrubberunits and in all cases a sizeable number of sprays must be utilized.

Among the objects of the present invention is to eliminate the problemsof the prior art devices referred to hereinbefore.

Another object is to maintain the advantages of collecting waterdroplets and aerosol particles in the outlet section of aVenturiscrubber without the use of an additional collecting cyclone.

Still another object is the attainment of the foregoing objectives in arelative simple and inexpensive manner.

The invention, then, comprises the features hereinafter fully describedand as particularly pointed out in the claims, the :followingdescription and the annexed drawings setting forth in detail certainillustrative embodimerits of the invention, these being indicative ofsome of possibly several ways in which the principles of the inventionmay be employed.

In said drawings:

FIGURE 1 is an elevational view, partly in section, and illustrating invertical position, an apparatus which has been constructed in accordancewith the teachings of the present invention, it being understood,however, that the 3,177,634 Patented Apr. 13, 1965 apparatus is likewisesusceptible of operation in a horizontal or substantially horizontalposition;

FIGURE 2 is a sectional view taken on the line 22 of FIGURE 1; and

FIGURE 3 is a sectional view taken on the lines 3-3 of FIGURE 1.Referring more particularly to the drawings, and especially to FIGURE 1,the housing of the apparatus is shown as comprising a tubular conduit inthe aforementioned vertical position, said tubular conduit comprising asubstantially cylindrical upper section 2 having a closed top 3.

Disposed below the upper cylindrical section 2, and in axial alignmenttherewith, is an inverted frusto-conical Venturi section 5, the lowerend of which connects with a relatively short cylindrical section 8which constitutes the neck of the Venturi; the latter, in turn,communicating with an elongate trusto-conical Venturi outlet or deliverysection. 10. V

Disposed below and communicating with the elongate frusto-conicalventuri outlet section 101 is a cylindrical outlet section 12 having aclosed bottom 14.

Referring to the upper portion of FIGURE 1, the aerosol to be treatedenters the apparatus through an aerosol feed pipe 15 which merges into aflattened section 16, the latter communicating directly With, andforming a tangential inlet for, the upper cylindrical section 2;. Asshown, the closure top 3 of the upper cylindrical section 2 is aperturedand provided with a packing gland 20 through which there extends a pipe22 for supplying water or other liquid with which the aerosol is to betreated. The lower end .of this pipe 22 carries a spray nozzle 24, thelower end of the latter being shown as positioned proximate thetransverse centerline of the inverted frusto-conical section 5'. It willbe understood, however, that the spray nozzle 24 and the pipe 22 bywhich it is'carried may be adjusted into other positions.

Referring to the bottom of FIGURE 1, a ring 26 is positioned within thecylindrical outlet section 12 relatively adjacent its transversecenterline and supports an upwardly extending cylindrical sleeve 28..The upper end of this cylindrical sleeve 28 is provided with afrustoconical portion 30 upon which there is superposed a series offrusto-conical louvers 32 of similar shape and size which are supportedin position by louver brackets 33.

As will be noted the outside diameter of the series of frusto-conicallouvers 32 is approximately the same as the outside diameter of thecylindrical sleeve 28..

Mounted atop the uppermost frusto-conical louver 32 is a deflector cone35, the base of which is of approximately the same outside diameter asthat of the cylindrical sleeve 28 and the said louvers.

Referring particularly to FIGURE 3,. a slurry outlet tube 38 passesthrough a suitable opening in the side wall of the cylindrical sleeve 28and is shown as provided with an extension 39 which is directedtangentially along the ring 26 with its open end facing the direction ofmovement of the aerosol which is indicated by the adjacently disposedarrow.

The slurry (i.e., fluid plus collected aerosol particles) leaving thecylindrical outlet section 12 through the slurry outlet pipe may, ifdesired, be passed through a sealpot (not shown) in order to preventsome of the eflluent gas leaving the apparatus at this point.

Operation let sect-ion 7 tangentially produces a helical gas movementindicated at A which continues into the inverted frusto-conical Venturiinlet section 5 and throughout the remainder of the Venturi-scrubber.The scrubbing fluid (i.e. water or the like) is introduced through pipe22 and spray nozzle 24 immediately ahead of the relatively shortcylindrical (neck) section 8 of'the Venturi-scrubber, the liquid sprayeminating from the spray nozzle 24 or equivalent instrumentality. Thehelical gas movement A throws the spray droplets against the walls ofthe neck section of the Venturi (4) by centrifugal force, thusincreasing the chances of collision between water droplets and thesuspended aerosol particles. The helical gas flow expands through theelongate frusto-conical outlet section 10.

The deflector cone 35 separates this helical gas motion indicated at Ainto a hollow ring and helps to cause the fluid droplets containing theaerosol particles to be deflected against the wall of the cylindricaloutlet section 12. The helical gas flow shown at B in the cylindricaloutlet section 12 continues with a sudden reversal in direction throughthe frusto-conical outlet louvres 32. This reversal in spiral gas flowfurther acts to separate the aerosol containing fluid droplets from thegas stream. The clean gas stream C continues its helical motion throughthe inside of the louvre-supporting cylindrical sleeve 28 into the lowerportion of the cylindrical outlet section 12 and leaves theVenturi-scrubber through the tangential gas outlet 17.

The slurry (fluid, plus collected aerosol particles) leave the scrubberthrough tangential slurry outlet tube 38 and its extensions 39. Aspreviously mentioned, a sealpot (not shown) can be provided on the lowerend of the slurry outlet tube 38 to prevent some eflluent gas fromleaving through said outlet.

While we have shown and described certain specific embodiments of thepresent invention, it will be readily understood that we do not wish tobe limited exactly thereto, since various modifications may be madewithout departing from the scope of the invention as defined in theappended claims.

We claim: p

1. In an apparatus for washing gases, a tubular outer conduit; saidtubular outer conduit successively comprising, and in communicatingrelationship, a cylindrical section for receiving the gas to be washed;a convergent frusto-conical section; a relatively short cylindricalVenturi section; an elongate divergent frusto-conical section; a thirdcylindrical section of approximately the same length as said first-namedcylindrical section; a cone disposed in said divergent frusto-conicalsection; a cylindrical sleeve concentrically disposed in said thirdcylindrical section; a louvered body disposed between said cylindricalsleeve and the base of said cone; means for closing the space betweenthe exterior of said cylindrical sleeve and the interior of said thirdcylindrical section; all of said aforementioned elements being in axialalignment; a tangentially disposed inlet for introducing the gas to bewashed into said first-named cylindrical section, said tangentiallydisposed gas inlet being tapered; means in said convergentfrusto-conical section for saturating the gas therein with liquid; meansfor removing liquid from between the interior of said third cylindricalsection and the exterior of the cylindrical sleeve disposed therein; anda tangentially disposed outlet for removing from said third cylindricalsection gas which passes through said louvered body and said cylindricalsleeve.

2. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the means for saturating the gas isaxially disposed with respect to said convergent frusto-conical section.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED' STATES PATENTS 408,285 8/89Boehning 442 890,537 6/08 Stanley 55463 1,386,211 8/21 Tompkins 554632,487,176 11/49 Pitt et al 55238 2,874,799 2/59 Kolk 55-460 2,976,9493/61 Murphy et al 55238 FOREIGN PATENTS 624,542 4/27 France.

487,672 6/ 38 Great Britain.

163,773 7/58 Sweden.

HARRY B. THORNTON, Primary Examiner. HERBERT L. MARTIN, Examiner.

1. IN AN APPARATUS FOR WASHING GASES, A TUBULAR OUTER CONDUIT: SAIDTUBULAR OUTER CONDUIT SUCCESSIVELY COMPRISING, AND IN COMMUNICATINGRELATIONSHIP, A CYLINDRICAL SECTION FOR RECEIVING THE GAS TO BE WASHED:A CONVERGENT FRUSTO-CONICAL SECTION: A RELATIVELY SHORT CYLINDRICALVENTURI SECTION; AN ELONGATE DIVERGENT FRUSTO-CONICAL SEC TION: A THIRDCYLINDRICAL SECTION OF APPROXIMATELY THE SAME LENGTH AS SAID FIRST-NAMEDCYLINDRICAL SECTION; A CONE DISPOSED IN SAID DIVERGENT FRUSTO-CONICALSECTION; A CYLINDRICAL SLEEVE CONCENTRICALLY DISPOSED IN SAID THIRDCYLINDRICAL SECTION; A LOUVERED BODY DISPOSED BETWEEN SAID CYLINDRICALSLEEVE AND THE BASE OF SAID CORE; MEANS FOR CLOSING THE SPACE BETWEENTHE EXTERIOR OF SAID CYLINDRICAL SLEEVE AND THE INTERIOR OF SAID THIRDCYLINDRICAL SECTION; ALL OF SAID AFOREMENTIONED ELEMENTS BEING IN AXIALALIGNMENT; A TANGENTIALLY DISPOSED INLET FOR INTRODUCING THE GAS TO BEWASHED INTO SAID FIRST-NAMED CYLINDRICAL SECTION, SAID TANGENTIALLYDISPOSED GAS INLET BEING TAPERED; MEANS IN SAID CONVERGENTFRUSTO-CONICAL SECTION FOR SATURATING THE GAS THEREIN WITH LIQUID; MEANSFOR REMOVING LIQUID FROM BETWEEN THE INTERIOR OF SAID THIRD CYLINDRICALSECTION AND THE EXTERIOR OF THE CYLINDRICAL SLEEVE DISPOSED THEREIN; ANDA TANGENTIALLY DISPOSED OUTLET FOR REMOVING FROM SAID THIRD CYLINDRICALSECTION GAS WHICH PASSES THROUGH SAID LOUVERED BODY AND SAID CYLINDRICALSLEEVE.